Gear-shifting mechanism.



A. H. BENNQNGTUN.

GEAR SIUF'HNGy {VIECHMHSIVI1 APPLICATION man lun 2x3-.1916.

9 Pateute Mair. 27. 1917i'.

INVENTGR .Alberi H Bmmz'mgmm WITNESSES AT1 ORNEY f apertures 3 which are adapte ALBERT H. BENINGTOI, 0F PARK IRIVER, NORTH DAKOTA' G'EAlRf-SHIFTING IVIECHANISM.

weones.

To all 'whom t may concern."

Be it known that I, ALBERT H. BENNING- TON, a citizen of the United at Park River, in the county of Walsh and 5 State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful improvements' in @rear- Shifting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

^This invention relates to gear shifting mechanism and more particularly to a device adapted to coperate with the clutch pedal and the transmission of an automobile whereby the gears in the transmission may be shifted to various speeds through the medium of the clutch pedal.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a connection with the clutchpedal for shifting the gears in the transmission, the particular position of the gears being obtained throu h a connection with aplurality o buttons arranged adjacent a steerf ing wheel whereby any speed change may be l accomplished by pressing'one of the buttons and releasing the pressure from the clutch pedal.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a gear shifting mechanism which consists of comparatively few. parts and-is simple in construction, but durable andl well adapted to withstand' the rough usage to which devices of this character are ordinarily subjected.

Fora full description of the. invention and the advantages and merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following descriptionfand the accompanying drawings, wherein is illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view4 of the mechanism showing the same `connected to the clutch' pedal of an automobile.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a` transverse section on the line 3-3of Fig. 1. A substantially square supporting plate 1 is provided on two of its opposite edges with l the upstanding ribs 2 having a dplurality of to receive fastening bolts or screws for securing the plate 1 to the underside of the Hoor of an automobile. The plate will thereby be susended-beneath the-automobile and the space tween the iioorv and the plate 1 is adapted ,to receive a spur-gear 4 mounted ona pivot VA'pin Awhereby the gear may be rotated when Specification of Letters Patent.

States, residing the edge has one end connected to 'the footped'al Aj pedal provided for opof the automobile. The

contraction' spring 17, the the spring being connectedqto the crank arm lcated by the arrows, high Patented Mar. 2*?, 191'?, A* .application led liily 28, 1916. Serial lio. 111,897.

desired. Rack bars 6 and' 7 are mounted adedges of the rack bars are provided with a plurality of teeth 9 the. teeth oit rack'bars may be operated when the spurgear is rotated.

For rotating the gear 4, l 'provide a crank arm 10` which is connected to the pivot pin 5 and is secured to the spur-gear by the fastening `rivet or bolt 11. The rib 2 at one edge of the plate is provided with `a .slot 12 through which the crank arm 1() extends so that its end may be disposed at one side of of the plate 1. reconnecting-rod 13 adapted to mesh with which is the usual erating the clutch opposite end of lthe rod 13 is 'connected to the free end of the crank arm 10 by the bolt '1li which extendsthrough a slot 15 inthe connectingprod 13. A lug 16 is integrally formed with one corner ofthe plate 1 at the rear end thereof and receivesone'end of a opposite end of 10 for a purpose presently described.

The gear shifting rods 18 and 19 are con'- nected in the usual manner to the transmisthe spurfgear i whereby the sion of the automobile s" thatthe gears may be shifted when the appropriate movement is imparted to' either of the rods 18 and 19. For the purposes of this description, it has been thought advisable to indicate vthe movement which each gear shifting rod 18 and 19 should take to shift the gears in thetransmission to obtain the various speeds namely, high speed, second speed, low speed and reverse lt will be observed that when the rod 19 is' moved in the directions 'indispeed or second speed may be obtained, and when the rod 18 ismoved in the vdirections'indicated by the l arrows, low speed or reverse will be obl. tained. Thesevarious movements are accomplislied througl'fi the medium ofthe rack bars 6 and 'i' which are provided at their rear ends with right angulaily disposed retaining arms 2O which. are disposed directly above a' oint half waybetwen the two rods 18 an 19. Pivotally mounted on the end of the retaining arm 2l are the oppositely extending op'- erating lingers 22 and v23 while pivotally and 21 the terminals ot mounted on the retaining arm 2O are the operating fingers 24 and 25. A pan ot notches 26 are formed in each of the gear shifting rods 18 and 19 and are adapted to receive ,the end of either of the operating fingers when the gears are to be shifted. Standards 27 and 27 are integrally formed With each pair of operating lingers and' entend upwardly directly above the pivot pm 28 which connects the operating lingers with the retaining arms. Y

In order that any on'evoi` the operating lingers 22, 23, 24 or 25 may be moved into one of the notches 2,6, I provide a plurality of buttons, a, i), c and (ZV whichare prefer ably arranged near the steering wheel of the automobile sothat they will be within convenient reach of the driver. It will be observed that in order that the operating tingers may be made to engage the notches 2G, a pull or a thrust motion must be imparted to the standard 27 on the standard 27. To accomplislrthis I provide the rocker arms 29 and 30 which are pivoted at their centers to 'any convenient part of the automobile structure and where )y they will be disposed in a position to receive the ends 81 of the links 32 which connect therocker arms 29 and 30 with the standards 27 and 27. The opposite ends of the rocker arm 29 are connected, by the push rods to the operating ,buttons 'a and b while the rocker arm 30 is connected/to the operating buttons c and el by the push rods 34.

It is well known that when the clutch pedal, in various types of automobiles, 1s

lpushed forwardly, the. clutch is thereby thrown out By releasing thefi'ot pressure on. wardlyn'fand the clutch 1s thereby thrown -in.7 This operation is taken advantage of in the above described mechanism and the gears are shifted and the clutch thrown in simultaneously. As shown by Fig. 1 of the drawing the clutch pedal has been pushed forwardly thereby` releasing the '.elutcli' and. the tension spring 17 has been Aoff the operation it will be observed, from the drawing that the clutch is still released when in the position lshown and the gear shifting rods 18 and 19 are in neutral position. Now, assuming that the operator of the automobile desires tol throw the gears ot' the transmission into low speed, the push button a, which carries the numeral 1 for *me pedal the pedal is thrown bacltindicating low speed, will he pushed downwardly thereby rocking 'the rocker lever' 2S) which will. tilt the standard 27 by virtue of the connecting link 32 and thereby move the operating finger 22 into the notch 26 which is disposed directly below the end of the operating finger. The ends of all of' the other operating lingers are clear oi the notches. The driver now releases the pressure which he has applied to the clutch pedal and the pedal is thereby drawn backwardly for moving the clutch intoengaged position. The tension spring 17 draws the crank bar 10 l'iacluvardly thereby rotating the gear 4 and moving the rack bars 6 and 7. As the operating linger 22 is connected` to the retaining arm 21 which is carried by the rack bar 7 the gear shitting rod 1S will be moved in the direction indicated by the arrow, adjacent the word low, and the gears in the transmission thereby thrown into low speed.

Any one of the other speeds is obtained in the same manner.

From the foregoing it will be observed that a very simple and durable gear shift-- ing mechanism has been provided, the details of which embody the preferred-'f n1n. l desire it to be understood however, that slight changes in the minor details of construction may be made without departing. from the` spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim:

1. ln a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with the gear shifting rods oi the transmission system and the clutch pedal ot an automobile, of means normally disposed above and free from engagement with the said rods and adapted to be moved for engagement with either of the rods at different points thereon, operating means connected to said clutch pedal and reacting with the said'iirst mentioned means for lcausing the said latter means to move into engagement with the said rods at the desired points thereon, and means for controlling the said first inentioucd means whereby the desired rod and the desired point thereon will be engaged by the said first 'l'nentioned means.

2. ln a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with the gear slitting rods of the transmission system and the clutch pedal oi an automobile, the said gear shifting rods being provided with notches, of rod shitting means adaptedto be engaged with any of the said notches, arms For supporting the said means, gearing nuichanism associated with the said arms for changing the relative positions oi the. said means, and means Qstablishing connection betwcenthc said gears .ing'meclirtnism and the said clutc'lr'pedal whereby the said mechanism will be operated when. the said clutch pedal is operated.

L,sodass 3. In a gear shitting mechanism, the combination with the gear shifting rods of the transn'iission system and the clutch pedal of an automobile, the said gear shifting rods being provided with a. plurality of notches, of means normally disposed above said rods and adapt-ed to be moved into and out of engagement with said notches. arms for simpel-ting said means, means associated with said arms and connected to said clutch pedal ior moving said first mentioned means into position above said notches when said clutch pedal is moved to released position, and means connected to said first mentioned means and adapted to be manually operated for moving said first mentioned means into engagement with said notches whereby movement may be imparted to one of said rods when said clutch pedal is moved to operate the cli/tch. A i

4. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with gear shifting rods of the transmission system and the clutch pedal of an automobile, of means adapted to engage said gear shifting rods for imparting movement to said rods when said means is operated, means carried by the automobile and connected to said clutch pedal for imparting movement to said means when said clutch pedal is operated, said means including a spur-gear and rack bars engaging said spur-gear, 'aid rack bars being connected to said first mentioned means for imparting movement thereto when said spur-gear is rotated. and means for rotating' said spurgear when said clutch pedal is operated.

In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with gear shifting rods of the trans mission system and the'clutch pedal of an automobile, of means normally disposed abofi'e and free from engagement with said rods and adapted to shift said rods after being engaged therewith, means for manually operating said first mentioned means for intern'iittei'ltly engaging said means with said rodsl including a plurality of push but tons connected to said first mentioned. means, and means connected to said clutch pedal and (zo-acting with said first mentioned means for moving said means when in engagen'ient with said rods.

(S. in a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with gear shifting'rods of the transmission system and the clutch pedal of an automobile. ofl gearing mechanism supporL ed from the floor of the automobile, means connected to said gear mechanism and to said clutch pedal for operating said gearing mechanism when said clutch pedal is'operated, said gearing mechanism including arms disposed 'above said gear shifting rods, and means carried by said arms and adapted to be' moved into and out of engagement with said rods whereby said rods may be moved when said gearing mechanism is operated.

7. In a gear shitting mechanism, the combination with gear shifting rods of the transmission system and the clutch pedal of an automobile, of gearing mechanism supported from the' floor of the automobile, means connected to said gear mechanism and to said clutch pedal for operating said gearing mechanism when said clutch pedal is operated, said gearing mechanism including retaining arms disposed above said gear shifting rods, means Icarried by said retaining arms and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said rods whereby said rods may be moved when said gearing mechanism 1s operated, and manually operated means for moving said first mentioned means into or ont of engagement with said rods.

8. In a gear shifting mechanism, the combination with gear shiftingrods of the transmission system and the clutch pedal of an automobile, of gearing mechanism supported from the fioor of' the automobile, means connected to said gear mechanism and to said clutch pedal for operating said gearing mechanism when said clutch pedal is operated, said gearing mechanism including retaining arms disposed above said gear shifting rods, means carried by said retaining arms and adapted to be moved into and out of engagement with said rods whereby said rods may be moved when said gearing mechanism is operated, manually operated means t'or moving said 'first mentioned means into or out ot' engagement with said rods, including a plurality of push buttons connected to said first mentioned means and disposed in position adjacent the steering Wheel of the automobile.

In testimony whereof afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT H. BENNINGTON. Witnesses G. XV. YOUNG, Frown LISKA. 

